ALLY MacLeod, the former Scotland manager, died in 2004, aged 72, after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for almost 10 years.

Duncan Forbes, 72, played more than 500 games for Norwich City and Colchester in a career that started in 1961. He went into a dementia care home in October. His wife, Janette, believes his condition, which started when he was 64, was caused by heading footballs.

An inquest in 2002 into the death of Jeff Astle, the England and West Bromwich Albion striker, ruled he died from brain trauma caused by heading heavy leather footballs

Billy McPhail, the former Celtic striker, displayed signs of dementia since his 30s, and was eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In 1999 McPhail claimed at an industrial tribunal that he was entitled to disability payments. However, the tribunal would not consider whether heading the ball might have contributed, as it was "part of the job as a footballer". He died in 2003.